KEEN ELECTION FIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, 15 October 1930, Page 6

KEEN ELECTION FIGHT

NEW' SOUTH WALES. POLLS. BREAD AND BUTTER ISSUES. . • ;,/ . Sydney, Oct. 2. Nationalists'in New South Wales have been .greatly heartened by the resu’t of the by-election at Hawthorne, in Victoria, where the Nationalist candidate won with a greatly increased majority. Although there is a Labour Gpyerpment in. power in Victoria the issues'.in'that State are very much the gametes they are in New South Wales. In'fact,, in Australia to-day there Is only one • issue . and that is downright econorriy-' There, is a feeling that Australia, has/not yet suffered its worst blow financially and the present indications are ! that the people of New South Wales will not be prepared to exchange /horses in ,the middle, of the stream. Election iday is October 25. The Leader of the Opposition in New South Waleq, Mr. £ang, insists that the economy policy is all “a put up job’’ to force/down/the standard of living, but the sober-minded citizen realises that the country has been living beyond its means, and that the crash that has now descended could not have been avoided. More borrowing, back to 48 hours’ work a week, complete restoration ot th©'salaries of th? civil servants —these and other planks in the Labour policy appear, like so much words. Everybody is asking where Mr. Lang would rake the. mopey, apd the. Premier claims that with the’ extravagances Mr. Lang has promised the people he would soon find that he would not ha.ve enough money in" the ' Treasury to pay civil servants even at the reduced rate that is now in force.

Ox equrse,'among his own supporters Mr. is having a' great time, and there are . many who are prepared to forecast, a Labour; victory, .They are probably right in saying that there are thousands of electors who do not stop to the position, and are led away arid astray by his pronouncemente. . In the circumstances Labour is bound.-to score heavily in the big centres of .population, where every worker is prone to attack the Govern-. ment for.lqs'loss of earning power. Actually, of course,; the present Government'is blameless, though the .same cannot be said of the Governments that .preceded itL The issues/ in the current cajnpajgn are certainly of the bread and hutt/er type; j Arid for that reason it is likeiy that, there will be a record poll. Tljp, fact/that 'for the first time in a State/eieptiori the voting.is compulsory is /a f , very grert factor. . proceeds the impqtepey of .tfie-third party-r-the- Australian Barty, ■ Jed by Mr. Hughes—is becoming more and pm re apparent. Actuialjjr fight will be between Labour on/the ojje side and the Nationalists and the Country Party, which form the existing, Government, on the other; The Australian Party is simply in the way, but. up to date it has not made its pretence felt tq ■ any marked degree. /Meetings of the Australian Party are largely .attended only when their leader is /bijied 1 -to speak, and then the people go fori tjje frin tef the thing, so it .would seein,:/more than anything else. The .Mri. Hughes, who is still by far the greatest. political ' figure in the State, overshadows ■. all the ■ other members of his'party, ■ who are mere beginners in theycWq-l : -feaffie. '/'’• >.